Smart Grid News

New US cybersecurity council to address threats facing the country

The United States Department of Energy (DOE) has formed a new council to tackle cybersecurity issues, including Smart Grid reliability and security, as well as national security issues.

Dr. Ernest Moniz, the President's recently appointed Energy Secretary, created the council as part of a larger plan to address the country's energy future. The committee will include members from multiple government agencies such as the energy department's electricity and intelligence offices, the Chief Information Officer and National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA).

"What we are trying to do is to make sure that we bring all these assets together to look at everything from grid reliability and resilience to, frankly, protecting our own national security secrets," Moniz said in his testimony for the House Energy and Commerce Committee last Thursday, according to The Hill.

President Obama has stressed the importance of national cybersecurity throughout his time in office. In February, he issued an executive order addressing the cybersecurity of the country's critical infrastructure. He also spoke on cybersecurity issues in his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping earlier this month.

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